Searching for my Warrior's Heart
by Poseidon's Following
Summary: A century has passed since the Volturi visited the Cullens, and recently they moved back to Forks. Seth. He never imprinted, but he's struck by the beauty of an unknown visitor and his life changes completely. But in the woods nearby, an enemy not seen for centuries has also arrived and poses a threat greater than anyone has seen yet. Seth/OC Slash Lemons Rating: M
1. Ch 1: Visit

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Comments are appreciated.

…

Adrastus POA

"Adrastus, you have been summoned to Aro's chambers," announced Lucia, one of our human caretakers. I had known so many of these "people" in my time that taken together they could populate a whole district in Volterra. They served their purpose however, if one could overlook the hypocrisy of it all. No human was to know. Lucia knew, and what was worse—she was allowed too. I would not complain though. Again, they served their purpose and my masters would not appreciate my subversion.

As I sauntered the length of the castle, I enjoyed the quiet stillness of the morning. There were no windows on my route, but the air was humid. It had just finished raining. Rain. It was the lifeblood of this planet. In Sparta—my home, rain meant the difference between a harvest and a famine.

The smell reminded me of a story my father had told me, about the gods Poseidon and Athena. Poseidon sought to be the patron of Athens and offered the Athenians a spring, a salt water spring. Might as well have given them famine instead, for that was what would happen anyway—saltwater...

I shook my head, but quickly composed myself. I must not joke about the sea god. To ward off any bad omens I spit my venomous saliva and it burned the rug beneath me. It was a priceless attic. Aro would be upset. Better that he be upset than Poseidon. I shivered in disdain.

I did not need to knock at the door of my master's chambers as those formalities ceased millennia ago, and besides, he heard me, and I heard him, from the other side of the castle.

I entered Aro's chambers and knelt. "Master, you summoned me?"

"Ah, my Spartiate!" Aro clasped his hands together and smiled. He was not happy to see me. He was happy to see my bow. That formality had not ceased since 502 BCE, if you used the Judeo-Christian calendar. I certainly did not.

I rose and met Aro's milky-red eyes. "How may I serve?"

"May I assume you have taken care of our problem in Finland?"

I offered my hand to Aro. He took it greedily. I reviewed my mission: to destroy the one known as Kaija. She was as old, or probably older, than me. It seemed cruel to destroy her, there were so few of us that old. But she had caused a spectacle of herself, or so I have been told. The rumors of the Snomannen have frequently given my kind the cover we need. It always starts as Snomannen in Scandinavia, the Yeti in the Himalayas, or Big Foot in America. Whatever one would like to call it, it worked until a photo arose.

Aro withdrew his hand and pulled the drapes open on a pair of windows. The sun blasted inside and Aro's skin refracted the light with great luminosity. "I sense disquiet in you," Aro mused.

I held silent.

Aro turned to face me and smiled. "Adrastus, has Lucia upset you?"

He knew my feelings on the matter. He had read my entire life's thoughts but a minute ago. I chose to give him my typical response—nothing. Some would call it Spartan pride… or arrogance. I blinked twice though. Aro expected this. He was my sire after all.

"I have spoken with my brothers," Aro redirected.

I nodded. This is how Aro would introduce my next mission to me.

"We have not paid a visit with our dear friends, the Cullen Coven in many decades. I think it rude not to send an emissary along with our well wishes and reaffirmations of friendship. After all, what is life without friends?"

I raised my eyebrow for I was perplexed. The Cullens? That was not a name whispered within these castle walls for nearly a century. What do we want with them? I voiced my concern.

"Do not worry, my old friend," Aro said has he grasped my hand again. "All will become clear soon. I merely wish you to go to them and reintroduce the Guard. Bring no one with you. We must not worry them with our strength. Stay with them for as long as is polite. I will send word when I want you to return. They can be found in the same area as our unfortunate misunderstanding so long ago. They have moved back there recently. "

"I know you already know this, Master, but the Cullens already know of your plans. Alice Cullen's clairvoyance is impressive."

"Ah, yes, Alice. What a sweet woman…" Aro said quietly, the desire pouring out of him. I knew him well enough, perhaps better than his own brothers, or his mate. So was our relationship.

"Very well, master. Please give my salutations to Caius and Marcus." I knelt again quickly and then hurried from Aro's chambers.

Very little preparation was required. I traveled light. Others in the Guard would so often slow us down with luggage. Perhaps this was a holdover from my human life. We had few possessions at home, fewer still on the road.

…

Seth POA

"Come on, Seth!" Ness screamed. "Give it back to her!"

_Never_, I growled.

_Seth…_ the voice of my Alpha blasted through my head.

_Yes?_ I pretended coyly.

_Give it back to her, now!_

And that was a command. Crap. My jaw lurched open involuntarily and the doll fell out of my mouth. It landed on a pile of pine needles with a thud and not a second later a russet face with bronze curls whirled before me and grabbed it.

"Sethy!" my niece squealed in anger. "You could've bent her with your fangs!" She approached me and bobbed me on the snout.

I let out a whine. _Damn, Jake! Your daughter's got a real good punch!_

_Don't you swear in front of my daughter, Seth Clearwater!_ Jake thought.

_Is that another command, Alpha?_ I snickered. That was a half-serious question. Jacob Black, the Alpha Wolf, the Chief of our Tribe, had not given me a real command in like a hundred years. It was a strange feeling to be compelled like that. I didn't like it.

Thump, thump, thump…

I looked down to find the source of the thumping. It was coming from the tiny ballet shoes of my niece. She was trying to get my attention with her doll clutched tightly in her little half-human, quarter-vampire, quarter-maybe-shapeshifter hand. I wouldn't be allowed to play fetch with it again.

I raised my eyebrow and whined. _Yes?_

She stomped her foot. "Say you're sorry!"

_Can't. I can't talk!_ I jumped over her in a single leap and was off into the woods.

"I'm going to get you back, Sethy!" she screamed in vain.

I howled, literally, in laughter.

_Better watch it_, Jake cautioned. _My daughter is half Cullen and she has her other uncles wrapped around her little finger. You know she could enlist any or all of them in her revenge plot for your thievery if she really wanted to._

_Shit. _That had not crossed my mind.

_Yeah, shit!_ Jake whirled before me and gave me a toothy grin.

I sat back on my haunches and enjoyed the rain. It was sure good to be back in La Push. A century away and my heart only became fonder of this place. Sure, the Tribe was still here, and so was Forks, but so much had indeed changed. The rain didn't. It was the one sure thing in the Pacific Northwest. That, and taxes.

_Come on_, Jake pointed his head in the direction we had come. _Let's head back to the house._

I nodded. The trip back to the Cullen's house was quick and uneventful. I hid behind a stand of trees and phased back into my human form. Searching for the clothes I had hidden underneath the protective cover of the trees, I came up empty. "What in the hell?" I whispered. "Wait…"

I heard a snicker come from the driveway.

"Rene Black!" I roared. "You bring my clothes back this instant!"

"No!" she yelled. "You stole Dollie!"

I peered through the trees. Her lips were pursed and she had her arms crossed.

"Okay, funny! You win… Haha!" My attempt to surrender was only half-hearted..

"Uncle Emmett taught me what sarcasm meant today," Rene spat.

Oh wow, she was freaking smart, and devilish, her parents through and through.

"Rene, you give him back his pants this instant!" Ness screeched as she stomped out of the house. My savior. I would never hear the end of it if my Emmett or Jazz saw this. Ugh, I would have to try my hardest to keep from _remembering_ it. I had Edward to contend with too.

"But Momma, I was just playin' around!" Rene pouted and threw my pants to me.

"Get in the house, right now!" Ness patted her on the bottom, ever so gently. Motherhood had really taken to Ness, but why was she being so assertive?

"Okay, okay! Am I grounded? He started it!" Rene whined as she made her way to the garage.

"We'll talk later," Ness said. That was Mom-speak for "I'm not sure" or "I haven't come up with a good punishment." I got in enough trouble back when I was kid to know exactly what was going on in Momma Ness' head.

_Man, how old am I? Yep, I'm an old man_, I thought. I didn't look it though. _Thank you, wolf gene! Gotta look fly for the ladies!_

I threw on my pants and crossed the driveway over to Ness. Her heart was racing faster than usually.

"Hey Ness, don't be harsh on her," I said. "She was only playing around. And I did steal her doll first."

Ness let her gaze wander from me. Was that tear threatening to drop from her eye?

"Ness, what is going on?" I asked.

Jake bounded out of the woods on two feet. Clearly, his daughter didn't steal his pants. That wouldn't have gone over very well. Jake's word was the law as far as Rene was concerned.

Ness's heart rate slowed a bit. The imprint was having its affect on her. I was glad for it.

She turned back to me and in a hushed tone she asked whether I would do her a favor.

"Yes, what's up?"

"Can you take Rene to Seattle tomorrow for a picnic?"

"Huh?" I asked. "Wouldn't a picnic here be better…"

Ness cut me off. "Promise me you'll take her?"

I nodded. What was she getting at? Why was she so worried? Her worry was making me worrisome.

Jake grabbed Ness's hand and hugged her. Her heartbeat slowed to its normal quickened pace. The power of the imprint was truly impressive.

"How are you, my love?" Jake asked Ness, as if I wasn't even there. Typical.

"We need to talk," Ness said calmly, but I heard her heartbeat speed up a bit. That was married person-speak for "You fucked up and this is how you're going to fix it." I have been around married couples too long. Fuck temporary immortality.

Okay, only half fuck it. Immortality rocked!

It didn't rock that long as my stomach decided to let me know it was empty with a loud gurgle. I excused myself from Jake and Ness' impending fight and scurried to Esme's kitchen. It was always open and always stocked for an army. I was slinking around Rose's latest auto project in the garage when Ness caught up to me.

"Seth, you promise right?" Ness's eyes were serious.

I nodded. Yeah, I was serious.

"Promise what?" Jake asked.

Ness pulled on Jake's hand and passed me. "It can wait, dear, come on, the family is having a meeting and they're waiting for us."

Oh geez, what could this be about? We had only just gotten here. I don't want to leave already. And where would we go? Not back to New York. Ugh, those people were just plain rude. And not freaking Alaska. That Tanya chick gave me the creeps. Always pining over me and telling me she wants to see my "wolfie nature." Rose thought it was so damn funny. That bitch. In retaliation, I made sure to leave my wolfie nature sprayed all over the most expensive pair of pumps she dared walk in the woods with. I got a broken nose in retaliation for my retaliation, but it was soooo worth it.

I followed Jake and Ness up into the kitchen and thankfully, Esme had just pulled two large casserole dishes out of the oven. The succulent smell informed me that it was lasagna. The cheese, noodles, and sauce had my mouth watering.

Esme handed me the dish and a big fork. "Dig in, Seth. You're looking lanky lately."

"Wha?" I tried to say over the mouthful of scalding hot cheese that somehow found itself stuffed in my mouth. I surveyed myself in a mirror on a far wall. Yep, I was still there; all six foot, two inches of triple-A all-American prime beefcake. For added effect (and reinforcement), I did a double bicep curl. Yep, my guns where still there. Who was lanky? Try, taut!

Esme winked. If she wasn't my surrogate mother and she wasn't already married and it wasn't such a weirdly gross thought, Esme would be quite a catch. What? I shuddered at the thought.

"Yeah, thanks for the image!" Edward yelled from the living room. Come to smell of it, everyone else was there too. The smell was almost noxious, it was so concentrated. Again, almost. I had spent far too many years with the Cold Ones to have the negative reaction I once did. It's kind of like how I hated onions when I was a kid, and now, oh boy, the more the merrier.

"Did you just compare me to an onion?" Edward roared with laughter.

My mouth full, I tried to say, but it came out as, "chya."

Edward stopped laughing suddenly. "Okay, onion breath, get in here, we have to talk." There was a real seriousness in his voice. One I hadn't heard in a long time.

I got up from my seat. Jake caught my eye and he too was aware of the emotional thicket we were about to enter. _Wonderful…_

I sat at Edward's piano and put my lasagna down. Edward's breath hitched. Oops, I pulled the plate up and set it in my lap. "My bad," I said. Yep, Edward's piano was his pride and joy. He'd probably give up Bella before his piano. Probably would throw in Ness if he had to too.

"I highly doubt that," Edward calmly, but firmly stated.

"Whateve…" I said as I slurped a noodle.

Jake and Ness took a seat next to each other and Jake dived into his plate of food. Everyone else was sitting or standing like stones. It was the first time that I noticed that the never-can-sit-still Alice Cullen was quiet as a corpse.

Rose was the first speak. "What is going on? I'm bidding on Ebay for some antic parts for Em's Jeep, the rust bucket."

Carlisle rose from his chair. "I do not want to alarm anyone, but Alice has had a vision and I believe it only right to share it with you all at the same time."

My eyes shot to Edwards. He already knew. He was stressed out. I could tell, even through his icy exterior. He had a heart, which meant he had the capability to feel pain and loss, along with his other emotions that I knew his family brought him—joy, love, and contentment.

Edward didn't give me any hints though so I waited.

Alice perked up. She just had another vision. A look of disdain pierced her face. "The future has not changed," she announced. "He's still coming."

Edward's eyes shot to the ground. They dug deep inside too, like he was trying to dig a hole to hide.

"Who's coming?" I asked.

Jake stopped eating. I did too.

"The Volturi," Alice snapped.

The Volturi. That wasn't a name I had heard in a long time. Alice had always kept an eye out for our safety. I guess we were lucky that nothing had come up in over a century. The Volturi. I had only one run-in with them in all my life. It was a cold, wintery day in the meadow where we destroyed a whole bunch of newborns the year previous. They left in peace that day, but we always knew they coveted certain members of our family—namely Bella, Edward, and Alice. Sometime after the Guard left, Edward told me of how much Aro would've just loved to have a pack of attack dogs at his command too. Yeah, that was never going to happen.

Emmett stood up and his muscles tensed. "Why now?" He was ready for a fight. I was too.

Carlisle put his hand on Emmett's shoulder to calm him down. "Apparently, it's just one member of the Guard. He's an emissary. Aro sent him to… visit."

"Visit?" Jake said with sarcasm. "Carlisle, we have a real problem. There isn't a lot of the pack left now. I mean… it's Seth and me. We can't have the Volturi snooping around. They could target the Tribe. That isn't okay. I knew coming back here was a bad idea."

Ever since Jake's Dad died—it had been years ago now—La Push never was the same. Jake took his duties as chief seriously, but always through an intermediary like a descendant of a pack member. Now that we were back, Jake was always orbiting about at the tribal meetings. He was a leader, not a politician. La Push wasn't what it was when his Dad was there. It wasn't home any longer for Jake, I suppose.

"Don't worry," I said. "We can take care of the Volturi." With my last dying breath, I would protect my Tribe. That was a fact. Briefly, I thought of the Cullens and where they stood on the matter. It took me very little time to conclude that the Cullens would do anything to secure the safety of my Tribe. We had so much history together now that it was more difficult than not to consider the Cullens a part of my Tribe. Our histories were so interwoven now. Enemies, allies, friends, now family… Trust can only be earned and the Cullens certainly earned the Tribe's and my trust. It was infallible to me at this point.

Jasper stood from his seat near Alice. "Even so, a visit by one of Guard does pose problems for the local population. I'm sure he will want to feed. And how long is he going to stay?"

"I don't know," Alice said. "All I know is he's old. Really, really old. It was just the way he interacted with Aro. He's different. That's probably why Aro is sending _him_ and not Jane or Alec or any other of the Guard."

"Who is it? Was he at the meadow that day?" Bella asked. She shifted uncomfortably and it was because Jane's name was said aloud for the first time in decades.

Oh, what a blissful time we had when the Volturi weren't breathing down our necks.

I let out a low growl.

"Calm yourself," Jake whispered. He gave me a brief, but reassuring smile. He was having a more difficult time with this than I, but still managed to put me at ease—command or not.

"He wasn't there at the meadow," Edward said with his head tilted to one side. He was scanning over Alice's thoughts trying to place the mysterious visitor. "Are you sure he wasn't created afterward?"

"No, I'm sure of it. He's been around the block." The conviction in Alice's voice convinced me.

"Perhaps if you described him to me, I would know who he was," Carlisle suggested.

Alice looked to Edward. "It's worth a try," Edward said.

"Well," Alice began. "He looks to be about, maybe eighteen or nineteen years old when he was turned. His eyes are red…"

"Well, that let's us know his blood of choice," Jake interjected with annoyance.

"Yeah, let's invite him to school with us too!" Rose sneered.

"Calm down," Esme whispered.

Alice continued, "He has short, dark brown hair. He has darker skin, but pale like us. It's almost like he got a lot of sun before he was turned. Maybe he's Middle Eastern? Spanish?"

"Did you hear a name said?" Carlisle asked.

"No, the visions come in bits and pieces. I never get the whole conversation." Alice looked defeated. I knew how much pressure we put on her. Her visions provided us with a lot, but like a drug and we craved more and more of it from her. She wandered around the room clutching her head as if she was trying to force a vision.

Nothing more was coming.

I got up and put my hand around her shoulder. I held her tight in a brotherly hug. "It's all good, Alice. We'll figure it out." Her ice-cold skin, even through her sweater, burned my own skin. It was a good burn, a familial burn.

"Ah thanks, little brother," Alice said tongue in cheek. She was by far my favorite female Cullen, but I chose not to let Ness, Rose, Esme, or Bella know that. I mean, it was hard to pick favorites, really, and each of the ladies held a special part in my heart, but Alice was truly something else. I think it was her voracity when it came to forcing others to do things that they didn't otherwise want to do. And frankly, it was hilarious to watch Bella kick and scream all the way to the mall whenever Alice had her by the britches.

Carlisle sat and pondered for a minute. We all waited on baited breath. Carlisle did spend a long time with the Volturi. Maybe he did have a run-in with a certain red-eyed monster.

No luck.

Carlisle sighed. "Seth is right. We will figure it out, and soon if I am not mistaken. Alice?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah, he is coming tomorrow afternoon. And before any of you yell at me, I only had the vision about an hour ago, which means Aro only made his decision then. I have been watching him for decades despite not talking about it openly." Alice looked annoyed.

What a burden Alice carried. I felt sorry for using her so heavily like this without even knowing. Everyone truly owed her.

"Well," I said picking up my unfinished lasagna. "There's nothing to do, but sit and wait. Might as well finish this little morsel."

Rose gagged. "There's a whole pan there. What morsel are you talking about, Seth?"

Oh, come on. She's known my furry ass (metaphorically speaking, of course!) for a century. If she had to ask now, she'd never know. I scooped a heaping fork-full of lasagna and shoveled into my mouth. Delicious!


	2. Ch 2: Staring Contest

As always, comments are both appreciated and requested.

…

Adrastus POV

I waited a day before traveling to the Cullen's residence. I knew Alice Cullen would know this and as such, they could prepare for my arrival. I certainly did not want to violate Aro's orders. I would not be going to wage war, however waging peace was far from Aro's thought process either, I knew that much.

I decided to get lost in the one place that has held any meaning for me. The sea. The sun was brilliant and I explored some underwater ruins off the western coast of my homeland. It still amazed me that with the power of the ocean, it could preserve history so well.

These particular ruins were part of the port of Kycia. We Spartans were not the seafaring people the Athenians were, but our boats would land here occasionally to take on trade or pillage. This part of the port had long slid into the ocean, forgotten by even archeologists of this age. It was a slice of the home I left and I relished in it.

The sea life sought refuge from me, but occasionally a sea urchin would drift by or I would find myself wrapped in kelp. It was a beautiful thing. Nature was beautiful. The sun shown down through the waves and whenever a beam would hit me, it would refract in the most brilliant of colors.

Hours passed and the sun withdrew behind the horizon. As such, it was getting close to midday in North America. This time would be ideal to join the Cullens. I swam to the surface and upon breaching the surface, the intoxicating scent of my prey wafted by.

It took me only a few moments to discern that two young boys were swimming out rather deep. The shore was a good mile away. Probably a dare. Their mistake. I ought to be careful though. I did not want water to get involved in my meal. I had long lost my pallet for salt. I tore through the water and grabbed either leg of the boys and dragged them underwater all the way back to the shore. It took only a minute to come up at the deserted beach where I had left my clothes.

I dropped the two humans and they purged the water from their lungs. Why bother? They would not be using them in about five minutes. One of the boys got up and peered over my naked body.

"Who, who are you?" he asked in modern Greek. Their fear colored every syllable.

"Adrastus," I said. He couldn't place my accent, and how could he? He could be my great great great great great grandnephew for all he and I knew.

"It will be okay, young one," I said. "It will be all over soon."

It took me little time to dispose of the bodies. The sea life of the Ionian Sea would make quick work of their bodies.

I dressed quickly and let the tension in my brain fill my body until my ears popped and I landed on the moist earth of a pine forest. Before me were eight vampires and two shapeshifters, one of them extremely angry.

I have faced worse.

…

_Hours earlier…_

Seth POV

I was stressing to the max. Here I was in a Toys-R-Us with little Rene while the Volturi were coming to destroy my family. I know I promised Ness to get Rene away, but even she, being only a year old, knew something was up. She was a quarter-vampire after all!

"What about this one!?" she squealed as she pointed at a stuffed lion three times her size. It was one of those animatronic ones that can interact with your child. The technology gives me the heebie jeebies. The _Terminator_-like future is written all over this toy. She wouldn't understand that of course. She was born in the wrong generation.

I would acquiesce regardless. It didn't take much. Like her other uncles, I was essentially putty in her hands. The twinkle in her eye when she smiled would have me agreeing with whatever her conniving brain conceived.

"Sethy… I want you to take down that buck for me…"

"Okay, Rene."

"Sethy… I want to drive your Ducati down the gravel road at 75…"

"Okay, Rene."

And even here, "Sethy… I want this lion!"

"Okay, Rene," I said coolly. Honestly, anything we could do to speed up this shopping trip so I could get back to Forks.

Ness was explicit in her request though: "DO NOT RETURN until I contact you."

Shit.

I brought the lion to the checkout counter and handed my card to the computer cash register. "IT" thanked me and I stuck my tongue out at it.

Rene did too. Oh great, I'm teaching her wonderful life lessons.

"Are you hungry, runt?" My stomach was gurgling so I hoped hers was too.

Rene put her finger to her lip. She was deep in thought. "YES!" she exclaimed as if she forgot that I had asked her a question. Too cute.

"What do you feel like—human or vampire?" I asked. Rene may only be a quarter vampire, but her reflexes and agility were very vampire-like. So was her appetite. She had never bit a human, nor had she had the urge to, but she was sure fond of the cougar. So much like her maternal grandparents, she didn't even know.

"Nah, I want human food," she decided aloud. I was frankly shocked. Ness didn't like human food at all now and she had tried to get Rene to eat a little of both, but Rene too had taken to the carnal side of her nature.

I put my finger to my lip. "Let me think, McDonald's happy meal?"

Rene began to jump up and down screaming in joy.

Oh geez, advertisement in the 22nd century was ridiculous. She didn't even watch the tv, or well, the holographic projector device thingy and she knew all about Ronnie McDonald. (I still preferred the good ole tv to the holo thingy. Call me an old fart, and I'll show you my biceps.)

We buzzed through the McDonalds drive thru and sat in the parking lot to gouge on our food. She had her little cheeseburger while I had my half-dozen double cheeseburgers. Abso-fucking-amazing. Maybe McDonald's ads weren't so bad. It got Rene to eat human food, albeit McDonalds "food."

The sun had hits its high in the sky and began its fall towards the horizon. It was getting late. Another five minutes passed, and both Rene and I had finished eating. We sat, Rene, me, and a big ass lion in my back seat, with nothing to do.

"Can we go home? I miss Dadda," Rene asked.

"What about your Momma?" I asked as I pulled out of the parking lot in the direction of the harbor. There was a nice park that Rene could play at. The sun was out and it offered a good opportunity for her to get some vitamin D. Rene did not sparkle like her family, but rather exuded a healthy glow.

"Dadda promised to take me for a run tonight. He said he would even let me run on my own! He always makes me ride on his back, which is fine… but a girl gotta stretch her legs, you know?"

"Who are you and what have you done with my one year old?" I asked with a laugh.

Rene pouted. "I may be one year old, but I am way older inside!"

"Duly noted," I said while trying to muffle another guffaw.

We turned into the harbor park and I pulled into a parking spot.

Rene looked worried. "This isn't home, silly." Wait, was that sarcasm in her voice? She better not be a teenager inside already! No no no…

Rene's face made me hesitate. I knew she knew something, but I didn't want her to know that I knew that she knew by asking what she knew.

Rene unbuckled her seat and crawled over to my lap. She knocked her little hands on my forehead. "Hello? Anything in there?"

"Excuse you!" I said. I poked her sides and tickled her.

"No, Sethy!" she screamed over her laughs. She tried to hop back to her seat, but it only gave me access to her feet—her most ticklelish extremity.

I let go of her foot and asked, "So do you want to go play with those kids or I have a ball in the back we can toss around." To an ordinary human, my one-year old niece would look like my four-year-old daughter. Her skin was the perfect combination of vampire pale and russet. She was going to be a real head turner when she got older. Yeah and whoever that person that turns their head towards her is going to have to deal with me and a family that could literally tear him or her to shreds if Rene ever got hurt. We put a new spin on coming home to meet the family.

"Ball?" Rene said incredulously. "What do I look like? A boy?"

Wow, way to instill 20th century gender roles in your niece, ROSE AND ALICE!

"Why can't we go home?" Rene asked suddenly.

"Momma and Dadda have a meeting with a person today, and they didn't want you to be there. I hope you won't be mad at them." I was half-honest. I also didn't want her to be mad at me for her parent's decision to send her away.

"Liar, Uncle Seth." Rene squinted her eyes into beady little things. She put on her angry face. "What's going on, really?"

"Like I said…" I gripped the wheel tightly. I wanted to know what was going on too. Hell, I didn't even know if our Volturi visitor had made his appearance yet. Ugh, this sucked. Whoever this douche bag was, he was probably a high and mighty asshole who absolutely loved to spew his banter about friendship and the rule of vampire law. Make me puke. Maybe it was good I was here and they had to deal with the high and mighty.

On the other hand, what if they needed my help? Alice still can't see me or Jake, or Ness, or Rene for that matter. What if the Volturi have a weapon like that? What if they were under attack, and I wasn't there!?

My heart rate sped up, which didn't go unnoticed by Rene. She put her tiny hand on my wrist and gave a gentle squeeze. "It will be okay, Sethy," she said. "I'm sure the Volturi man is being real nice. Uncle Emmie pummel him into the ground if he wasn't."

My eyes went wide and I shot a glance at Rene. She would say that. "Are you kidding me?" I asked rhetorically. She knew the Volturi thing, but the Emmett comment was over the top. Oh, wow. I hope she was right though, about both things: a _nice_ Volturi visit (if that was possible) or Emmett kicking some major ass.

Still, I should be there. And Rene would be better protected surrounded by all of us. In many ways, she was more vulnerable here. I was but one wolf and picking me off would be the only requisite step from getting at Rene. Rene. Yeah, this decision was for Rene.

I whipped the car into reverse and sped out of the parking lot. As I hopped onto the 101 towards Forks, I knew that my decision was the right one. As I got closer, I knew something was different, or at least, something was changing. I could smell it in the wind. Something was happening. My gut turned inwards on itself and I felt a bad cramp coming on. Was my conscience telling me something? Or my heart? Or was it bad McDonalds?

What the hell, I didn't need this right now.

Something was happening and it only made me fear the future more.

I tried to push my discomfort from my mind (and failed miserably) and focused on getting back to Forks. Whoever this Volturi asshole was, he wasn't going to threaten my family. We had been through too much to have to deal with this type of shit anymore.

The ride back was quick and Rene was silent for the whole trip. I knew she could sense my unease, but even so, she chose not to address it with me. She was empathetic just like her Uncle Jasper. She was everyone in this family bundled into a cute little girl with a bow in her hair to boot.

As I turned up the windy driveway to the Cullen abode, I could smell anger in the air. Actually, it was Jake. He jumped over the hood of my truck and blocked the road with his wolfie self. He growled and his eyes pierced my own. He was royally pissed. Thank God, I wasn't in wolf mode or I would probably be commanded to ram my head into a rock over and over. Yeah, I still wasn't too thrilled about the control thing.

I was going to wait until Jake got out of the way, but Rene flung the door open and ran over to her father. I had an errant thought to stop her, control might not be on Jake's mind right now and I didn't want him to accidentally hurt her. A picture of Emily Uley's face flashed in front of my eyes. The way her scares pierced through her skin. They were even present at her funeral some thirty years ago. Sam never did forgive himself.

A chill ran through my spin. I popped the gears into park and shuffled to Jake and Rene. Rene was trying to calm him down, but I pushed her out of the way and separated the two with my own body. I refused to phase because the more and more I thought about it, the whole Alpha to Beta thing just boiled inside me.

"Back off, Jake," I yelled. "You'll hurt her if you don't calm down."

Jake's eyes were frantic. I knew he was screaming at me.

The commotion wasn't lost on anyone in the family, and Edward and Ness appeared.

Edward put his hand on Jake's shoulder. "Calm down, old friend. Seth is right. This is not good for Rene to see." Edward turned to me. "You should not have brought her back here. It is not safe."

I sighed. "I know, but I got worried. Rene was worried too and she totally knows something is going on. Besides, she is better protected with when she is near everyone, not just me."

Jake let out an exasperated breath and rolled his eyes. Calmly, he walked over to Rene and she hopped on his back. They walked the rest of the way up to the house. He looked like a horse really, but I didn't dare share that thought with him though.

"Yes, not a good idea," Edward cautioned.

"What's going on?" My question was directed to Edward, but Ness's eye caught me. It did not linger and she was off to see her daughter and her husband. Whatever. Edward followed me to my truck and got into the seat where Rene had been.

I drove the rest of the driveway and parked near the house while Edward updated me. There wasn't very much to update unfortunately.

"The Volturi emissary has not arrived. Alice continues to search the future, but it is clouded."

"What do you mean, clouded?" I asked. The early thought of an anti-Alice weapon fell front and center in my mind again.

"Do not worry, Seth. I do not think the Volturi have such a weapon, or we would have been destroyed already. Or at least, attacked." Edward's tone gave me some comfort.

"Clouded, aye?" I asked hoping Edward would give me something more.

He shook his head. "I do not know much more than that. It is hard to process Alice's visions sometimes. They jump around so much, I am surprised she remains sane."

I felt like this was a good time to make a joke, but knew that Alice was definitely in earshot of that. Yep, I kept my lips sealed.

Edward grinned. "Anyways… Just a fair warning Jake and Ness are upset with you."

"Yeah, I figured that. Ness's eyes told me as much. Whatever, they can deal." I don't know why I was being so indignant about the Rene thing. But still, I truly believed she was safer here and there was the other thing too…

"What thing?" Edward asked. Damn mind reader.

"I dunno, I just don't feel well, I guess."

"Seth Clearwater, I have known you for more than half of my existence, and you have never been sick." Dr. Edward put his hand to my forehead. His icy hands made me jump.

"Sorry, old habits," I said in an attempt to diminish the awkwardness. "What's my prognosis, doc?"

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know. Like I said, you have never been sick and it is not like your temperature is going to tell me anything. You are always warmer than the average human."

"Yeah, well… I can't shake this feeling. Like something is about to happen. It can't be good…" I cut myself off as my heart began to pound out of my chest, more than usual that is.

Edward looked concerned, but heard Alice yell to us. It was time. _Okay, Seth, pull yourself together!_ I thought to myself. Finding some semblance of control, I got out of my truck and quickly undressed. I phased easy enough and got a loud yell through my brain.

_What the fuck do you think you are doing bringing my daughter here?_ Jake yelled.

I walked over to where he was sitting on his haunches. He was fuming and I knew that one wrong word and he would be after me.

_Please, calm down, Jake_, I pleaded. _We need to focus on this asshole's visit. Then you can chew me out._

_Oh, you can count on it!_ Jake said.

Alice came out of the house and walked in my direction. The rest of the family filed out behind her with the exception of Esme, Ness, and Rene. Good. Esme was a good fighter and would be a good last defense. Everyone discounted her fighting prowess, but I didn't. Just because she didn't like to fight or violence for that matter, didn't mean she wasn't good at it when the need arose. Ness, the maternal monster that she had become, would let nobody harm her daughter. Nor would anyone in this family, including me. Yeah, Rene was safer, here.

Jake growled, but I knew I was right.

_Fuck off_, I thought. I about had it with Jake. Before I could tell him off correctly, Alice gasped.

She was having a vision and announced, "He's here."

"Where?" Bella asked. Everyone smelled the air for any scent and took turns looking over one another's shoulders. Nothing.

"Where is he, Alice?" Jasper asked while holding her hand tenderly.

Alice concentrated. "He's here. I can see him."

"I cannot read him," Edward announced.

"Are you sure your visions are not mixed up again?" Jasper asked.

"NO! He's here only I cannot see him. I see us. I see him looking at us. Where is he?" Alice was getting frustrated.

I was too. _Come out, come out, wherever you are, you slimy bastard. _

"I am right here," someone announced from behind Jake and I.

Like a well-oiled machine the family did a one-eighty and faced our visitor. The men were in front with Bella, our shield, in back supported by Rosalie and Alice on the flanks. Jake and I snaked in between Carlisle and Edward. _I am ready to pounce, just give me the word_, I thought.

"Easy," Edward instructed.

The vampire before us was tall and dark-skinned, not the russet-skin of my tribe, but it was clear that he saw the sun often in his human life, how ever long ago that was. It was almost olive colored under the cloudy Washington sky. It suited him though. His musculature was dense in the right places, but that was so common in a vampire. His long legs sprung him up to at least my height—in human form that is. His hair was cut close and brown like that of an oak tree in the sunlight. His eyes... They were hideously red and screamed of a recent kill, a feeding, a terminated life.

I growled out of instinct.

"Please," the vampire said. "I come in peace on behalf of my masters, Aro, Caius, and Marcus of the Volturi." The vampire addressed Carlisle exclusively. How dare that vampire ignore me!

The fury within me threatened to escape. Who was this demon? He came in peace? Yeah, right…

_Calm yourself_, Jake instructed. I was not sure if that was a command or not. I got my answer soon enough though. I felt my heart rate slow and the tension in my body melt away.

I tried to will it back though and not because of the vampire before me, but because of Jake. He did it again. He told me what to do. I am not a robot. I am not to be controlled.

I growled again, only this time it was meant for Jake.

The vampire visitor thought it was directed at him because he addressed himself to me. "I assure you, I mean you no harm, I am here merely as a visitor… If you would…"

Had he started to slur his words? Or did he have a stuttering problem?

I searched his eyes for an answer and I discovered that he was doing the same to me. My gut got heavy again and it turned in on itself. Had Jake punched me in the stomach? He was phased though—he didn't have a fist to really throw at me. I winced a bit at the pain. I felt as if gravity was pulling me down and I lost control of my legs. I slinked down to the ground with a whimper. What was going on?

I felt light headed and unsure of myself. The only rock I could find was in that damn vampire's eyes. How could I trust those eyes? How could they trust me? I wanted to trust those eyes. I wanted his eyes, and that vampire, to trust me. The rock became heavier… sturdier. My body was released from whatever gripped it and I raised myself again, never leaving eye contact with the vampire with the red eyes.

What was going on? I looked around at my family and only Jake had his eyes glued onto me. The others were more concerned about the vampire. My eyes fell back upon his eyes. They were glued to me. They were glossed over in dark obsidian, as if he was crazed for blood. Only, he wasn't looking at me as if I was his target. Wait… I had seen those eyes before… They were not crazed for blood. There was no bloodlust. They were bedroom eyes. An errant thought crossed my mind. _I wouldn't mind kissing the lips of the vampire stricken with bedroom eyes._ And that is when I knew… something had indeed changed.

…

"Stay back," Carlisle instructed the vampire.

I could not concentrate very well. I was too busy processing what had just happened. I could not put it into words. With a vampire. With a vampire. With a vampire. A male to boot!

I looked to my vampire and it felt strangely nice to think of him as "my" vampire. He must have heeded Carlisle's words because he was still as stone. His eyes continued to pierce my own.

"Dude, what's with the staring contest," I heard Emmett blurt out finally.

Jake let out a breath loudly.

I couldn't speak. One, I was a wolf. Two, I just wasn't ready.

Edward struggled to speak as well. He kept clearing his throat. Clearly, he was trying to process as well.

Then, I heard a tiny little voice from inside the house. I peered up to a second floor window where Rene was waving at me. Ness appeared then and pulled her away from the window. "Come on, Momma," she said exasperated. "Can't you see?"

"See what?!" Ness spat.

"Seth imprinted on the vampire!"

Emmett's ears perked up at Rene's last statement. He glared at me and then a big smile crept on his face. "So… have an eye for Greek boys, don't we?" Emmett started to laugh so loud that I was sure that a window would shatter. And if he weren't my brother, I probably would have bit his face off.

Imprinted. On a vampire. A male. What the hell?

The vampire… my imprint… appeared to be shocked by Emmett's antics and tore his eyes away from my own much to my own dissatisfaction. "Imprint?" he said in a thick and ancient accent. The sound washed over me like the most beautiful symphony I had ever heard. It called to my heart and soul and I felt myself lift off into space. I needed him to speak.

_No you don't! _a part of me yelled. Two parts of my conscience came unglued from each other and began a fierce battle for supremacy. One side, the anti-vampire side, said that I was a fool to leave him alive. He was a threat. The other side, the imprint, said… no, reminded me that _he was my imprint_. It was final. It was binding. It was forever.

Forever. Imprinting on an immortal meant that I would live forever. This is something I had not considered previously, and I was shocked to be considering it now. After all, I had just imprinted. Fuck, what should I do?

_Get a grip!_ Jake yelled in my head.

He probably hated my mental tirade against myself.

_Whatever_, Jake said. _Only Seth Clearwater would take the boundaries of the imprint to the next level. Thanks a lot._

I had imprinted. I had found a rock. A place to plant my feet. A home. Finally.


	3. Ch 3: My Sethy

Seth POV

We had been staring at each other for five minutes now. Nobody moved or spoke. The silence was both frightening and sublime. Frankly, I was shocked that this vampire didn't attack me. Emmett had long ago told me of how easy it was for a vampire to switch from sexual lust to blood lust, and back again. I did not want to die. Vampire venom was still poison to me. I shuddered.

Carlisle broke the ice. "Welcome to my home, who is it that I am speaking with?"

The vampire… _my_ vampire refused to break eye contact with me. What was his problem? Wait, he must've been so confused by all of this. And of course, my heart leapt out to him. All I wanted to do was comfort him, tell him he would be all right, be what he wanted me to be for him. I would do that. I would do anything for him.

I shook my head furiously.

I had to get those thoughts out my mind.

The family needed defending.

_We can't hurt him_, Jake said. _As much as it pains me to say this, he's a member of the tribe now. We can't hurt him without… hurting you. _

_I'm so sorry, Jake._ It was all I could think to say. What else could be said? I had single handedly insured that a dangerous animal had our tribe's protection. I plunged into the depths of despair, disappointment, and disgust, all with myself.

_I've been there, buddy_, Jake thought, replaying Ness's birth. He too had imprinted on an "enemy," but Ness wasn't all bad.

_Hey…_ Jake's voice boomed. _Anyways, why don't you go and meet… him._ _He's probably freaking out inside his frozen head._

Right! He's in pain. I can be that clarity for him! I backed away from the group, which Emmett didn't let go with a sly remark.

"Going somewhere, pup?" Emmett teased. "Your lover is the other way!"

I growled.

So did Jake.

So did Rose.

Emmett promptly shut up.

_Thanks guys,_ I thought. As I slunk away like a skunk, Carlisle tried again to get my vampire's attention.

"I know who you are, Carlisle Cullen. I know who you all are. Even you, Seth Clearwater…" Hearing my vampire say my name was loving and erotic. My name vibrated off his tongue in the most sensual of ways. And I loved that accent. I wanted him to say my name again and again and again.

I phased behind my truck and threw my clothes on, shoving my aching erection down my left pant leg. _This is going to be a problem…_

As I was pulling on my shirt, I heard my vampire start up again. "I apologize for being rude. I am a bit… distracted. No matter though, let me introduce myself. I am Adrastus of the Volturi Guard. I am here on instructions from my masters. They wish you salutations and wish me to reaffirm the friendship between the Cullen coven and the Guard."

Edward spoke next. "What are your intentions, Adrastus? You must know that I can read your mind."

"Then you know that I am here as I have stated. Please know, Edward, that I am fully aware of all of your family's _gifts_. I have no ulterior motive, but I cannot say the same of my masters."

"A bold statement coming from one vampire to a whole coven," Jasper challenged.

I peered over the truck bed and caught sight of my delicious vampire. Delicious? Oh geez. _Please don't destroy him, family!_

"You know little of this world, young one." The way Adrastus talked down to Jasper, an older vampire in my book, sent a cold, unnerving chill down my spine. Adrastus must've sensed my trepidation because he glanced over to me, a look of concern darting out from his blood red eyes.

"How old are you?" asked Edward. When Adrastus didn't answer Edward cleared his throat. Adrastus shook his head as if trying to get a bug out of his ear.

"I apologize, Edward. Again, I am not feeling well." Adrastus did look well, hot in fact, given his pale features. "To answer your question, I have walked this Earth before even Christ. So trust me when I say this to you, Major Jasper Whitlock of the Confederate Army, I am unworried by being in the presence of your coven." The nonchalance in his voice told me one of two things were true: either he was dead stupid or dead serious. If it were the latter, the family was screwed. Who was this guy?

Edward called over to me. "Perhaps you would like to come and meet our visitor?"

I gulped.

The wind shifted and Adrastus's eyes fell to the dirt as if he was going to hurl. Was my scent that bad? As I approached, I tried to catch his gaze, but the closer I got to him, the more he was repulsed. _What could I do?_ I stood before him now, close. "Hello," I croaked.

At first I thought he was going to attack me, or even hug me, but he hesitated. "Why am I burning, Seth Clearwater?"

"What?"

He gulped back what I knew to be venom. "Whenever I look upon you, my stomach twists and I feel feverish. Needless to say, I have not felt _those_ feelings in eons."

"Imprint," Emmett whispered to himself.

_Thanks a lot, asshole! _I yelled inside.

"Imprint?" Adrastus asked.

"Uh yeah, we should talk," I said. What would I say?

From behind me, I heard Rene's high-pitched voice trill. "Sethy! Are you going to get married now!?" Before I could grab her, my niece flitted past me and straight into the range of my vampire. She may only be a quarter-vampire, but she was damn quick.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS WITH MY SETHY?" boomed Rene. How mighty was she? I would've laughed if the circumstances were less precipitous.

Ness screamed from the house and shot out the door. Edward grabbed her and held her back. "Keep away from my daughter!" she yelled.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Jake moving stealthy around Adrastus. He made no sound and his scent was downwind of Adrastus now. He had his eye on Rene and must have been unaware of Jake's movements.

Everyone was still until…

Adrastus bent his knees and held himself at eye level with Rene. "Well, little one, I am Adrastus, but _you_ can call me Addi. As far as your Sethy, I assume you are referring to Seth Clearwater, and I do not know what my intentions are with him. I do not even know him despite knowing of him." Addi smiled at her and rose to his full height. His grin slid off his face. "And Seth, please inform your Alpha that I will destroy him if he charges at me."

Uh…

Jake growled. I stepped forward and pulled Rene behind me. Emmett picked her up and pulled her behind the line. I was close to my vampire now, much closer. His scent washed over me, and well, my groin stirred. He smelled like cinnamon and sugar toast, burning cypress, and the cold, crisp sea breeze before a storm hits. It was sweet, but not too sweet. It was homey, clean, and masculine. Most of all, it was comforting. I had never in my entire life smelled such an intoxicating and distracting elixir, and vampire scents were always too strong. Not Addi's. Could I call him that too?

Jake's fur bristled and he crawled slowly towards Addi.

Add didn't move a millimeter.

"What the hell, Jake? Calm down!" I yelled. I didn't dare phase. Jake could really control me then. And he was so chill like thirty seconds ago. What changed? Rene? "Addi didn't hurt her!"

"Clearly, a demonstration is in order to bring to full light the seriousness in which I operate," Addi announced.

"No," I whispered.

Jake charged.

Addi disappeared.

Jake disappeared.

There was nothing.

I held my breath waiting for something to happen. A minute passed, and then another. Ness's breath started to race, as did her heart.

…

…

...

As suddenly as Addi and Jake disappeared, Addi appeared holding a very unconscious, very human, and very naked Jake by the neck.

The family shifted to attack.

My eyes caught Addi's and he nodded as if telling me to trust him. I did trust him, but the problem was he had my Alpha, my friend, and my brother dangling by the neck, lifeless.

I took a moment to listen for it. Jake had a heartbeat, a strong one at that. He was very much alive, but…

Rose raised her eyebrow. "Was that a snore?"

Addi rolled his eyes and laughed. It was a bellowing snicker, an odd combination, but it made me smile internally. _I wish I could make him laugh_, I thought. Addi shook Jake a little bit and he awoke. It took him but a second to realize his predicament and he phased back into a wolf, but not before Addi dropped him to the cold damp earth with a thud.

Emmett burst out laughing.

Jasper and Alice, and everyone else, including I, had our mouths gaping.

"What just happened?" I asked.

Jake backed away from Addi and roared in anger. He was more pissed than ever.

"Take a fucking chill pill!" I yelled at Jake. "He didn't kill you and he totally had the opportunity." Now, I was _really_ getting pissed at Jake. He's being totallyirrational.

Addi rolled his eyes again. "Do we need a second demonstration?"

Ness spoke quietly. "Come on, Jake. Let's take Rene home."

"I wanna stay with Addi and Sethy!" Rene screamed. "He can do magic tricks!"

Ness dragged Rene to the tree line and they were gone. Jake followed, but not before he let out another growl.

"Of all my assignments," Addi spoke to himself. "This will definitely be the strangest."

"Right…" Bella said. "Can anyone tell me what just happened?" She turned to Addi. "_Who_ _are_ _you?_"

…

Esme had invited Addi inside the house. Her penchant for good manners and warm hospitality never evaporated, even when a member of the Guard came knocking. "You say you were born in ancient Greece?" Esme asked. She was fascinated. Greek architecture was always a fascination of hers.

We were all congregated in the living room. Addi sat alone on a loveseat. The empty spot next to him called me out like a Siren. My location at the other side of the room was utterly unacceptable, but yet I remained.

Addi nodded. "It was not so ancient when I was there, madam, but yes. What you call Greece is my ancestral home. It was a beautiful place, really."

"Yeah…" Esme murmured. "Where do you come from exactly?"

"In my time, I was from Sparta in the Peloponnese. Back then, I would bristle at the suggestion that I be grouped with other Greeks—Athenians especially. They are an undisciplined flock, even today."

Uh, what?

Edward interjected. "Adrastus, let me offer my thanks for not killing my son-in-law. That would have been most regretful."

Addi nodded.

"How did you do it?" Emmett asked with intrigue. My eyes shot up in intrigue.

Esme slapped the back of Emmett's head. "Don't be rude!"

"Esme," Carlisle cooed. "It is a valid question." I appreciated Carlisle's concern. Rudeness aside, we had to know what we were dealing with, or whom rather.

"The interest in my ability is palpable in this room," Addi announced. "But no, I am not offended. As I know each and every one of your abilities I feel it honorable to introduce mine. When Aro sired me…"

"Aro?" I asked with concern.

Addi's eyes shot across the room like bullets from a shotgun. Would that always happen when I spoke? I hoped so. His eyes met my own and I felt the stiffness in my pants again. Would this always happen too? Just a little attention from him and I get massive attention down there?

"Yes, Seth," Addi said. "When Aro sired me, I exhibited the ability to shift my location with my mind. It takes great concentration, and… I am unable to jump every time. I can pull others through with me, as evidenced by my demonstration. For most, the first jump is so disconcerting that the typical reaction is for the individual to vomit and pass out." And as if it were an aside to himself, he added, "However, I never noticed one to fall asleep before."

"Yeah, don't tell that to Jake," I suggested from across the room. That warning was more for Emmett than anyone else. I could see the wheels in his brain cranking a mile away!

"No adverse affects?" Carlisle asked.

Addi shook his head. "It is actually a rather efficient means of transportation, but again, it takes a great deal of concentration to get it right. I am not always successful that is."

"Fascinating," Carlisle quipped. "Why is it that I have never heard of you? I did spend quite a long time with Aro and his brothers."

I glanced over to Edward who had the strangest look on his face. "I think the better question is what do you mean, Adrastrus, when you say that you are not always successful in employing your gift?"

Addi's face darkened. He hesitated for a moment and I couldn't blame him for it. We've known each other for less than an hour and Edward's asking an enemy—well, technically, an enemy—about his weaknesses.

"I will be candid with you, Edward," Addi began. "As an act of good faith on the part of Guard…" he turned in my direction once more, "and me.

"Space—as in the distance between point A and B is interrelated with time. And since I can manipulate space and traverse great distances, a necessary byproduct of that manipulation is affecting time. I am no time traveler, well, not intentionally at least. It is more like time swallows me up for a bit and when I come back to this world, time has flashed forward in an instant.

"I have missed hours, days, and even years."

"How many years did you miss this last time?" Edward asked almost rudely.

"Edward!" Esme spat.

"Dear lady, it is alright." Addi held Esme's hand gingerly. "The last jump was 407 years, the longest I have yet experienced."

There was a collective gasp in the room. I chose not to react because I knew what would happen. I didn't even think it. Instead, I interrupted. "So you can transport yourself anywhere. Does that mean, like you could pop up to the moon?!" I meant it as a joke. He didn't take it as one.

"I suppose I could, Seth, but why would I want to? There are so few humans up there, it would not make well for good hunting grounds."

As Addi said "good hunting grounds," my breath hitched. For all the things I was absolutely sure the imprint would let me get over, hunting humans wasn't so absolute. It gnawed at me. I looked to Edward and mentally pleaded with him to ask the question that I was too afraid to ask despite knowing the answer already.

Edward nodded. "Adrastrus, can I assume that you feed on humans? Your eye color is indicative of that choice."

Addi let out a barely audible sigh. "I knew that question would come sooner than later and I know that it would be a sticking point in my remaining here. But, as my Master has directed, I am to remain here until I hear otherwise or your coven asks me to leave. I feel as if the second part may come sooner should I choose to hunt your neighbors. So no. I will not hunt your neighbors or even hunt nearby. I have had millennia to discover all my options and capabilities, you could say, so I am confident we will find a mutually amenable agreement on the matter."

"So you'll just jump to like Africa or Europe to get your fix and pop in here for a late night movie?" Rose snapped, her eyebrow high and indignant. My blood began to boil and I had to hold back from running across the room and drop kicking the wench into the stone fireplace.

_Whoa, where did that idea come from?_ I shook my head in a vain attempt to rid my anger towards Rose.

"Yes, uh, that is one opt…" Addi turned to me. "Are you alright, Seth?"

Was I alright? Was I that obvious? Or was it that Addi was already so in tune with me, so in sync that even a minute fit within me caused a reaction in my imprint. How powerful is the imprint? I tried to speak, but ended up covering it up with a cough. I was such a lame ass. Eventually, I lied and said I had to use the bathroom.

Washing my hands, I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked the same as I did this morning, but inside me, a fundamental shift had occurred and it was daunting. I wanted to ask myself why I couldn't have imprinted on a human? Or at least a vampire who wasn't a subject of a faction that we had once warred with. I wanted to ask myself a whole lot of why's, but I didn't. Maybe it didn't really bother me. I had watched, no, observed all of my pack, even my sister, Leah, imprint on others. I saw how permanent and binding the imprint was, and how content they were in it. Maybe that is why when I didn't actively think about it, being with Addi wasn't going to be difficult. Only when I really fought against it was I able to even contemplate distancing myself from Addi, or at most, hurting him to keep my family safe.

Shit. I realized then that my bonds to my family had just taken second seat to my bond to Addi. Jake had once described his imprinting bond to Ness as unbreakable steel cables. I would describe it as an island oasis in an ocean of loneliness. Perhaps my family was the continent that I once walked around, but with Addi, he was that island of happiness and I never wanted to leave it.

My day dreams had taken a long time to process and that I needed to get back downstairs, back to my vampire. I turned the knob on the door and swung it open. Sunshine poured in from a window in the hallway and refracted off my imprint in a brilliant display. I was momentarily blinded. As my eyes readjusted, I found Addi's face. He was regarding me in a thoughtful manner, as if he was choosing his words carefully.

I smiled.

"Are you alright, Seth?" Addi asked, stepping forward and closing the bare bit of distance that was eating away at me.

He was a bit taller than me, maybe a half inch. He was also more slender than me. He was built to be a runner. I was built to be a football or rugby player. Even so, I knew without a doubt we would fit together, whatever that meant.

"Seth?" Addi asked.

"Yes?" I replied. How mesmerizing was he?

He shook his head and hesitated. "I am sorry. It is just, I wanted to see if you were alright." He was the one who didn't look well now.

Without even thinking my hand shot to his wrist and my thumb caressed his granite skin. It raked over the dark dusting of arm hair, the kind of hair a real man has. I shuddered at the thought and the coolness of his touch lit a hot fire in my stomach. If I didn't know better, I would've said Addi socked me in the stomach, again. This was a good pain though.

I found Addi's eyes and they were shut tight. I knew he was feeling it too. It didn't help matters that he bit his lower lip in the most adorable manner, his teeth were as white as fresh Alaskan snow. I wanted to lick his teeth. Er…

"I am alright, Addi," I stammered. "I mean, can I call you Addi? I know you said my niece could, but…"

Addi smiled. "For you, yes."

Carlisle called across the house and asked that Addi leave the house for a bit as the family needed to discuss his presence. Graciously, he offered to depart with a promise not to go hunting or approach La Push or Forks. "I will be in the woods, outside hearing range. I'm sure Edward can verify my proximity with his mind," Addi informed as he walked out the back door and disappeared into the woods.

Several tense seconds passed and all I wanted to do was follow Addi. I looked to Edward and he nodded.

"He went into the forest to await our decision," Edward revealed. "We can speak openly."

Bella got up from the couch and announced that she would call Jake and have Ness, Rene, and him return.

I walked over to the fireplace and leaned on the mantle. I started to count my breaths. It seemed only fitting considering all that happened. It was simple, rhythmic, and somewhat necessary. If I didn't think about this, I would think about him. It wasn't that I didn't want to think about him, it was that I couldn't think clearly when he was front in center.

"What should we do about him?" Jasper asked. As an empath, he was cautious around me right now and for that I was grateful.

"He can't leave," announced Jake as he came through the door. "He's tied to Seth and well, I'm not willing to give him up quite yet." Jake approached and held his hand out to me. I took it graciously.

"Why the change of heart?" I asked. "You were ready to cut his throat out."

"Uh…" he murmured.

"He panicked," Ness explained. "Understandably so too."

"Yeah, well…" Jake didn't like to appear weak even when his wife so eloquently called him out. "After thinking it through, Adrastrus isn't going to do anything to harm Seth, so the way I figure, as long as Seth protects Rene, Adrastrus will too. I was willing to fight my own brothers when I imprinted on you, Ness. Knowing whose side I was on never was clear in my life."

"As nice as this is, I'm going to be the one to ask the question," I announced. "What do we do about his hunting habits?"

"That all depends on you, Seth," Esme answered. It sounded strange coming from her, as if I had a choice in the matter.

"Well, he's going to have to not hunt here and well, not hunt humans, or I mean, I can't be with a murderer." The second the word muttered out of my mouth, I regretted it. Technically, and I sound like a huge asshole for saying it, I was surrounded by murderers.

Emmett laughed and that sounded strange too. "Present company excluded," he boasted.

I rolled my eyes.

"I think what Esme is trying to say," Carlisle said as he put his hand on my shoulder. "Is that your going to dictate the terms for Adrastrus's stay here. It is not wise to ask him to leave now because we do not know Aro's intentions. Also, Jacob is right. You have imprinted and after researching the imprint bond for more than a century, I can tell you it is unbreakable and it will tear your mind and body apart for you to be separated from your other half. You are feeling the separation now, are you not?"

Carlisle's words hung in the air and I felt oddly exposed. The whole family was present for this intimate talk and despite the fact it was a conversation the whole family needed to be present for, despite the fact everyone knew what the imprint entailed, despite everything, I hated it. We had to make it about the family because I chose to imprint on an enemy.

"Stop," Edward commanded. "You did not choose anything. Fate chose this and brooding on it will do no good. I should know."

Emmett snickered. Brooding Edward jokes were legendary in this family. Edward took them in stride, but occasionally, a separated limb or the destruction of a prized vehicle occurred.

Ignoring Emmett, Edward continued. "You need to go to him now and explain everything. I am serious about that. Everything. It is not like you must be worried that Aro will learn some dark family secret, he will undoubtedly find out anyways."

Nothing more needed to be said so I nodded to the family collectively and walked towards the door, pulling my shirt off as I did. Then, I turned to face Emmett. "Nobody else comes!"

"What?!" Emmett looked like someone spit in his ice cream. "This is bullshit! I wanna watch!"

"Nope," Bella whispered. She added a backhand for good measure.

Rose repeated Bella's hand gesture with perfect accuracy. "My thoughts exactly."

"But babe…" I watched Emmett trail after Rose with a grin.

_Thanks, ladies_, I thought.

I hid my clothes behind a tree, phased, and tracked Addi's scent to a waterfall down the river that was near the house. Addi was sitting on a boulder, legs crossed, still as a statue. He regarded me as I slithered like a snake behind an outcropping of rock to phase again. As I put my shorts back on, I did my best to adjust my erection so that it wouldn't show through the single layer of shorts. I've gone commando for so long now and underwear was useless in my line of existence, but right now I was completely regretting not owning a pair. And adjusting myself wasn't going as well as I wished.

"I can smell your erection," Addi said as a matter of fact. "Do not be embarrassed."

I about died. How the hell…

"The preejaculate that seeps out before… uh, you know," Addi answered my question before I could pose it. I did my best and came out from my hiding space to find Addi enjoying the waterfall. The feature fell thirty feet to a pool of frigid water. The water was as clear as a lens. No fish were in the pool today. No wildlife in the woods either. I suppose that was because of Addi. We truly had the forest to ourselves.

I sat next to Addi and the proximity set my heart on fire. How did Addi feel?

"Soooo, my family has sent me to give you the lay down and I have some stuff to talk about you personally too," I admitted emotionlessly.

"May I suggest that we discuss the item of a personal nature first," Addi suggested. "I too have something rather odd to request of you and it too is of a personal nature."

I nodded. "You first."

Addi stood quickly and vaulted over the pool to the other side, landing gracefully. He spoke as if I was still next to him. Clearly he knew I too had enhanced hearing in my human form as well.

"I apologize for being rude in my request, but I must ask you to stay away from me while I visit the Cullens. I realize you are a member of their family, however if I am to complete my mission here, I cannot be near you. Your proximity causes me… confusion and… trepidation."

Trepidation? Stay away from him? How the hell could I do that?! The fucking distance now was killing me. "Why?" I breathed.

"I fear your blood. I think you maybe my singer and it is taking all that I have not to drain you right now. I know if I kill you, the Cullens will bring war to that Guard, and THAT is not my mission."

I searched for a way around his request. My desire to be near him was in direct conflict of the imprint's mandate of giving my imprintee whatever he desires. Shit. He desired my blood, he said. No he didn't. My blood was unpalatable to a vampire. In all the times I had opened wounds in front of my vampiric family, they did nothing more than retch at the smell. I couldn't imagine what the taste would be like.

No. Addi didn't desire my blood. The imprint was affecting him differently. Yes. Emmett did say there was a fine line between sexual lust and blood lust. Maybe Addi didn't know the difference.

I smiled and that wasn't the reaction Addi was probably expecting, although his response to my response, a frown, was the most adorable thing I've seen on him yet. "I'll make you a deal," I offered through a shit-eatin' grin. "Let me tell you some things about me and then you can decide whether I should stay away from you. _I'll do whatever you want._" The sexual innuendo was fully present and intended.

"Yes, Seth, surely for your own protection, distance from me is the only logical route. Surely, we must…" He stopped babbling when I crossed the pool in a less graceful bound than he. The flaring of his nostrils told me he _knew_ of my presence.

_Yeah, the imprint has gotten him too_, I thought smugly.

"You do not desire my blood, Adrastus," I instructed. "You desire me." Without another word or mental contemplation, I picked up a piece of shale and found the sharpest point. With a gigantic leap of faith, I sliced my wrist as deep as I could. Even I could smell the sharp, coppery smell of the blood that spilled from the wound. I looked to Addi and he was swallowing hard. One more moment and he would likely snap my arm clear off in his attempt to drink me. (Can I just say, that last thought gave me yet another woodie. "Drink me…" Yep, I'm fucked up.)

"Wait!" I shouted when Addi cleared the short distance between us. "Put a little on your finger and try it. If you like it, you can have it. All of it." Somehow, or rather, miraculously, he followed my instruction. He dabbled a bit of the blood on his finger and threw it into his mouth. His eyes fell shut and at first I thought he was savoring it. His jaw quivered and his brow tightened. Is this how he looked during orgasm?

Addi started to retch. His tight clothing around his stomach told me it was trying to expel whatever filth, my blood that is, Addi had consumed. He dropped to the water's edge and gobbled gobs full of water into his mouth. I hoped he wasn't drinking it, because I HAVE SEEN what a vampire must do to get nonblood fluids and solids out of their system. Fucking ew.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

Addi remained kneeling close to the water. "I do not understand. You do not smell disgusting like your Alpha so I assumed your blood was not disgusting either, but… dear Gods, that was awful."

I sat cross-legged next to Addi and smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment. Do you still want me to stay away?"

Addi searched the forest until he met my eyes with his own. "I suppose my request is moot. I will not attack you, but I do not understand how you are my singer. _La tua cantante_?"

"Have you had one before?" I asked genuinely curious although I couldn't hide my grimace. A singer meant one thing, a human's death.

Addi nodded. "Early in my life as a vampire, I did. Such are incredibly rare and, but you… I do not understand." He hesitated and his eyes searched for the truth in my own. He mouthed one word then, one word that would forever brand itself into my memory.

"Imprint."

I chose to smile in response. Nothing else seemed appropriate, but I had to admit, he was still pretty much in the dark on the whole thing. "Yes, imprint." I explained it to him. I told him about the tribe, the shapeshifter gene, how each pack member is effectively immortal until we find our imprint, I ignored the fact that I was permanently immortal now as I still didn't want to face that reality yet, and ended my tirade with a question. "What do you want?"

Addi didn't answer immediately so I continued.

"You have a choice, an option. I'll be whatever, whoever, you want." It was the God's honest truth. This being, this man before me had my heart and dedication in whatever he wanted, so was the imprint's power.


	4. Ch 4: Cohort

A/N: Comments, as always, are encouraged and appreciated.

Addi POV

After Seth finished explaining the imprint and the terms of my permanence here, we returned to the Cullen's mansion. I had not given Seth an answer about the imprinting phenomenon. I had never been given a pledge so powerful and unwavering before, even from my fellow Guardsmen, many of whom I considered friends.

The terms were simple, but I could sense trepidation in Seth's voice over one key point. Hunting. I was disallowed from hunting in North America. Such a huge swath of territory, I thought, however Seth was clear that he did not want to risk the lives of anyone he knew. Perhaps he knew many throughout the country? He was, after all, a centenarian. It was no matter. I could simply jump over to the African Union or Brazil for a quick bite if I wanted. I did not want to however, which was strange because I had always had a healthy appetite. So I chose to avoid hunting for a time until I could discover my reasoning out. The two boys I had not long ago would keep me satisfied for a time.

The other terms of my visit were short and clear. I was to be escorted by a member of the Cullen coven wherever I went and stay clear from La Push and Forks, two hamlets west and south of here.

As I entered the Cullen's mansion, Seth informed me that he was going home for the evening. I was surprised to discover that he did not reside with rest of his alleged family, but who was I to judge such decisions? As he descended the stairs and entered the woods, I became awash with longing. It was intense and all-encompassing, and I felt the urge to follow Seth. It was not confusing as to why I had such an urge, the imprinting and all, however I did not want Seth to feel threatened by me. So I remained.

The Cullens who did reside in the mansion included Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper. The rest were elsewhere. Esme graciously offered what was Edward's old room for duration my stay and Alice offered me fresh clothing. Apparently, I was very near Edward's dimensions in seam and length. The clothes were bit tight though, having a more muscular build and all. By 3:00 AM, I retired to my room as the rest of the Cullen pairings were doing the same. Some went to reading a book—I could hear the crinkle of old paper, books on paper were relics now. Others sought conjugal activities with their mates. I cringed at their moaning and tried to push it from my mind. Such was easy enough. Instead, I focused on the night that surrounded the mansion outside. The wildlife was rampant, which was strange given I was visiting a coven of animal drinkers. So strange was this all.

I thought of reading a book to pass the time. When you are immortal, time is not fleeting. Edward's room had an excellent arrangement, however I did laugh when I found Bram Stoker's _Dracula_. How far Stoker had it wrong…

Finding nothing particularly appetizing, I chose to lie in the four-poster bed. My thoughts drifted to Seth, which they did with invariable regularity now. The nature of the imprint, Seth informed, was to do just that. He said he would be whatever I wanted. What he didn't know and I was beginning to know for certain, was that I knew exactly what I wanted. Him.

The way his biceps would bulge at the slightest shift of his arm. His calves were lithe and at any moment were ready to spring Seth into his wolf. His girthy chest and taut stomach did nothing less than force my hand across my own chest and stomach. The thought of him pressed up against me, holding me hard and tight against this bed was dizzying. I raised my hands high above head imagining Seth dotting kisses from head to toe. I was sure that his lips were hot as fire and that he would ignite a fire within me. Lower and lower he would go. He would circle my navel with his tongue and pull my borrowed pants down with his teeth. My erection would spring loose, hitting Seth in his hot, flushed face. The connection nearly pushes me over the edge. I wanted him. It was excruciating.

"Addi," I hear him whisper, followed by a knocking. A knocking?

My eyes shot open and I took stalk of my predicament. I somehow shredded much of my clothing up and tore up the bedding for added unintended measure. "Son of a Corinthian goat!" I scolded myself.

The knocking came again and at last I became acutely aware of _his_ presence. His scent had long swept into the room, but I had yet to recognize that it was not a part of the illusion I had created.

"Addi?" Seth asked again. "Is everything okay in there?"

I inhaled sharply, trying to taste every bit of Seth Clearwater. He had freshly showered; his natural musk had lightened, but was ever present. I needed him. Right. Now.

The door flung open, but thankfully I did not pull it off its hinges. Esme would forgive destroyed linens, but probably not a doorframe.

My eyes fell upon Seth's magnanimous frame. He was wearing a loose fitting black shirt with the arms torn away and tight gray washed jeans. I may have past the millennia marker centuries ago, but I knew fashion when I saw it. Back to the jeans... Yes. The jeans hugged his hips in the most seductive way. They were barely holding onto his warm and supple skin where his hip bones jutted out forming that delicious v-shape I knew existed beneath the fabric.

No words were necessary. I jumped into Seth's arms and straddled him tightly. He moved forward and kicked the door closed behind him. Again, I was thankful that we had not destroyed the door.

We were face-to-face now, and my eyes pierced into his. "I choose you," I whispered placing my lips onto his. It was his fire to my ice and we melted somewhere in the middle. His fiery tongue brushed my lips, wanting entry. I was only too willing.

My hips quivered around Seth's large frame. I kneaded his skin wherever I could find it. I felt the chords of muscle in his back working their magic to keep us afloat in the room. I could also feel his massive erection pushing through a bare bit of fabric towards my own. He shifted my weight and the pressure made my hips buck uncontrollably. I heard the crack of a bone and a moan of pain escape Seth's mouth. I shook out of my blissful haze and met Seth's eyes, surveying for the pain I had caused.

He smiled devilishly. "No worries. I'm mostly unbreakable."

I returned his devilish smile. _Even so, _I thought. _I do not want to break you too much_.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked.

I shook my head in fervent disapproval of this proposition. He lent his lips to my throat and sucked gently causing pleasure to reverberate across my being. I held tightly to Seth and pulled him downward into the void.

…

"Wh- Wh- Where are we?" Seth stammered, the sun blistering down upon us. The rays hit my granite skin and refracted against his perfect face. I smiled foolishly. I was reflecting on him.

He let me down and knelt down into the hot sand. I knelt beside him. "The Aegean."

"Did you just, uh, you know zap us across the planet?" he asked with a clear unwillingness to accept such a truth. For the world he lived in—vampires, shapeshifters, and all—how could he not accept this possibility? He was not pleased when I laughed at his expense.

Seth glared at me for a moment before rolling me into the sand with him on top. The heat radiated from both sun-drenched beach and Seth's chiseled frame. I contemplated whether I was suffering heat stroke. It was blinding and blissful in equal measure. He kicked my legs apart and nestled his hips in between. I moaned in anticipation.

Abruptly however, Seth removed himself from me and I felt as if someone stole half my soul. When I was with him, we were a perfect mosaic. Without him, I was incomplete. Had I offended him somehow? I was at his side in a flash, my eyes communicating my concern.

Seth laughed. To my unasked question, he responded, "Now THAT," he pointed to the indentation in the sand he and I created, "was for laughing _at me_." Seth was playing revenge with sex. Such was a dirty game, but one I could play too.

I nodded curtly, pretending to be upset. His smile melted my resolve though.

"So where are we?" he asked. "Really."

"We are on an uninhabited island 230 kilometers southeast of Athens," I informed. "I come here often when I want to be alone. It is something of a sanctuary for me. I have not shown anyone this place aside from Aro that is. He knows all my thoughts, which you know."

"It's beautiful," he commented.

"I agree," I responded walking toward the surf. The water was warm, boiling to my skin. I turned on my heel and held my hand out to Seth. He took it without hesitation and the physical connection warmed my silent heart. How subtle things such as this could affect me so profoundly was both disconcerting and exhilarating.

I led Seth down the beach, weaving in and out of the water. Eventually, we ended up in a stand of cypress trees that stood sentry over the island. We sat side by side with our backs against a large one. The bright blue of the sea was before us. "Thank you for showing me this," Seth whispered. He held my hand tightly.

"There are many things I want to show you, Seth." I twisted my frame towards him and grazed my fingers over his bicep. From my angle, I enjoyed Seth's cutoff shirt. In fact, he cut the garment completely down the sides until only a bare bit of fabric held the front to the back at the hem. It gave me an excellent view of his russet skin. The bumps of his muscle stirred a deep craving in me to see more, touch more, _feel more_.

I spun around Seth and knelt before him. "Can I?"

"Wha?" He blinked. When he opened his eyes again, I was sitting next to him again, with his shirt in my hand, and not on his body. Yes. This was a better sight for me. "Give me my shirt back!" he yelped.

"It is quite warm out, Seth. I do not want you to get heat stroke." Yes, it was an obvious lie, but one I would argue until Hades claimed my soul for himself.

I let my eyes wander over Seth's torso. Adonis had nothing on my Seth, my wolf, my warrior. Slender, but defined curves bowed in and out across his shape. From the bulbs of his biceps, to the firm squares of his chest, and down to the bluffs and crevasses of his stomach leading to his forbidden fruit.

"You're staring, Addi."

…

"Addi!"

A pair of hands waved in front of my face and I snapped out of my imagination. "Yes?"

"Come here," Seth said. He rose to his feet and pulled me up with him. "If I'm going shirtless for your viewing pleasure, then you gotta do the same for me." Before I could object, not that I would mind you, he pulled the silly pajama top I was wearing over my head and threw it over his. "It was all torn up anyways," he joked with a smile.

I wanted to kiss him _badly_. I ran my fingers up either side of his forearms, reveling in the light dusting of hair there. It was not thick or bushy, but sufficient. A man's forearm. I smiled inwardly at my asinine conclusion. Where my fingers connected to his skin, I imagined a fire erupting inside him. I knew very little of the imprint still, but I knew that if Seth was touching me in this way, it would be like a fire running uphill. Or downhill into my pants that is.

I hoped it would do the same to him as I know it would do to me.

My fingers lingered on his biceps. I massaged them into my palms savoring the raw power within. I think this muscle group was fast becoming my favorite. It was an odd group to become fixated on, but who was I to complain? I would have to request that Seth refrain from wearing anything that would cover them up… ever.

Whatever I was doing to Seth, it was having the right effect in him. His breathing was uneven as was his heartbeat. He pursed his lips in a vain attempt to control his breathing. Those lips. They begged for visitors, my lips. I curled one hand behind his neck and the other clutched onto his belt. I needed him to be closer.

Our lips met and a hot electric fire shot across my body. He cupped my face as if he was revering me. I had a more prurient location intended for my hands. As I cupped his erection, it quivered, and momentarily, I thought Seth might have come. His groaning did not help matters, but when he started to grind himself into my own erection, I knew he had not finished so soon. Regardless, if such happened, I would wait until he recovered and pick up where we left off.

"Fuck me," Seth whispered. His statement took me aback. Did he indeed want me to do that… now? I was more than willing, but I thought he would want to be the first to… "No," he growled, regaining some composure and exciting me in the process. "I mean fuck you, Addi." There was no anger or malice in that statement, only a factual assertion.

"Okay." I hopped onto Seth's frame and ground myself into him. His hands found my hips and massaged the skin there forcing a perfunctory hiss out of me. His hard frame was like blood to me. I had to taste it. Feel it. I leaned backward from Seth and pulled him down to the hard-packed ground with a "tink" of granite and surprised gasp of air. One from vampire. One from human. Mostly human that is.

I found Seth's lips again and my hands roamed his body. The fire within me notched a few degrees hotter. I pulled my lips from Seth's and became enthralled by his neck. I savored the tang of Seth's sweat-slicked throat. Pure saccharine. I whimpered in utter content. Seth's hands were roaming my body by now. He found my nipples and gently pinched the nubs on both sides. Then those hands, those strong strong hands, moved to my backside and massaged my ass as if kneading bread. I could not handle it any longer and in one second flat, I had completely disrobed Seth and myself. I was proud of myself in that I did not destroy Seth's or my clothing.

My pride did not last long however. Seth was now completely naked and as I pressed against the length of his torso, I could do nothing more than whine.

"You're so fucking hot," Seth roared in my ear. He licked the length of it, his hot breath making my toes curl in on themselves. He pushed my legs apart again and replaced the void with himself. Our cocks touched each other and I about came. I bit my lip hard enough to pierce my granite skin to keep from orgasming. I did not want this moment to end.

"Fuck me, Seth, please, really," I hissed.

Seth's eyebrow rose in the most lascivious manner. He brought a finger up to his mouth and coated with his slick spit. I knew what he intended, I had asked for it after all, but it still surprised me when he circled my entrance. This would be a first.

"Seth," I whispered hoarsely. The pain was surprising but fleeting. It disappeared until he pushed in with another, longer finger. It too was slick with sweat and spit, but it took me a moment to get used to it.

Slowly, but surely, I became accustomed to Seth and found myself rocking back against him. "More," I pleaded. Three fingers now and I knew I would burst soon, my dick threatening to erupt at any second. I breathed heavily, focusing on it rather than Seth's ministrations. I glanced back at Seth's cock and realized that I had actually never seen it. Three fingers definitely did not prepare me for Seth's cohort. I gulped hard. Anticipation and anxiety flooded through me.

Focusing on Seth, I let anticipation win out. I grabbed at Seth's bicep again. Always the bicep! "I am ready. Please, now."

Seth nodded knowingly. Lust was still in his eyes, but so was a caring that I had never seen in anyone before. And he was looking at me, directing it at me. It was the perfect combination of what I wanted from him now. He oriented his cock at my entrance and pushed slowly inside me. Yeah, his three fingers had nothing on this!

"Oh, gods!" I roared. Seth stopped then and slowly started to put out.

I grabbed onto his hips, holding him place. "What are you doing?!"

Seth's brow furled. "I'm hurting you!"

I shook my head slowly trying to keep composure, to keep from coming all over this wonderful moment. "No," I said with an almost cackle. "No, you are not."

With that, Seth started to push back inside me hard and rough. My eyes rolled back into my head as a white, blinding heat exploded. The heat. Oh, the wondrous heat. I could feel myself shuddering beneath Seth. I tried to refocus my eyes and got some sick satisfaction from the look on Seth's face. His brow was creased tightly. The concentration he exuded was almost comical. Soon he was balls deep and pulled back, causing me to gasp. "Fuck me, Seth, hard…" I whispered hoarsely.

He did. He found a rhythm with me, as if we had done this hundreds, even thousands of times. He would push in and I would meet him in the middle. His curse words made my own lips tremble. I wrapped my arms around Seth's back and pulled him into me, smashing his _dirty_ lips into my own. Our tongues fought for control and the connection was too much.

"I am going to come," I moaned into his mouth.

Seth lifted his face and snarled, "Come for me, Addi. I want to see you come. I want to see what I do to you." He licked my neck … and then bit it.

I came hard and fast. My back bucked upwards and my torso found connection to Seth. His scalding body, slick with sweat, only caused more pleasure to rack across my body. I felt myself tighten around Seth's cock and it must have been too much for him. I could feel every single long inch of his cock convulse while he jackhammered into me. As he came undone inside me, I admired every muscle on his body as they tightened one by one. Everything was raw power and desire and love.

Love?

My orgasm slowly subsided, but I would undulate in smaller and smaller orgasms with the feel of Seth so close to me. His scent was plastered onto my skin and I reveled in it. He was still inside me too. With that last realization, I felt my cock stir to life again. _I could do this every moment of every day of the rest of eternity, _I thought.

Seth could not though. He had to sleep after all. Through the sex-induced fog, I found Seth's intense gaze. There was a small twinkle there too.

"Wow," he whispered. "That was…"

"Yes," I finished. With a grimace, Seth pulled out of me, and I returned the look. I missed his presence already. Seth kept his place in between my legs and arms, and I held tight to him. We laid like that for a long time then. We would give each other little kisses, little caresses. Nothing deep, just telling. Telling of the bond we now shared.

Seth's eyes got droopy and I could see he was fighting off a yawn.

"You are tired," I said with a smile.

Seth glanced at his watch. "Well, it's 9:30, my body time. We've been here for… wow, five hours."

I nodded. Yes, we had. "Time to head back, I assume."

"Why don't we have ourselves a quick dip in the water first? I've never swum in the Mediterranean before."

"Aegean," I was quick to point out. "The Med is foul."

Seth grinned foolishly. "Right…"

I missed Seth's scent on my body, but the briny water did not wash all of him away. Seth got a rush of energy from the warm water so we swam for a time in perfect silence. Nothing had to be said. We were just enjoying the solitude the island afforded, together. Periodically, I would sink beneath the surf to observe Seth's physique in action.

The manner in which the sinew worked in concert and gave him his bulk made me suck in saltwater. Gasping underwater did not work. I was at the beach in a quick second coughing up putrid liquid.

"Adrastus, are you okay?!" Seth yelled throwing himself on the beach next to me.

Coughing up the last of the water, I shook my head and smirked. "I must remember not to watch you. You are quite distracting."

"Thought you could breath underwater, aye? Didn't know vampires had to breath…" He guffawed then. It was a loud, throaty laugh that warmed my insides more than the hot sea nearby.

We collected our clothes and I put my torn pajamas back on as best I could. They were pretty beat up, but nothing bad was showing. I glanced over to Seth and I could tell he, with his eyes boring into my frame, was upset with this.

I walked over to him. "Do not worry. There is more to come."

The only way he could respond was with a cool, controlled exhale through pursed lips. He was fighting with himself. He was trying _not_ to throw me to the ground again and have his way. If it happened, I would not mind.

He shook his head and hopped up and down like a young school child. "Nope. Nope. Nope. We should head back!" He did not sound very sure of himself and I laughed.

"Very well." I beckoned him to me. "This is the best part of my gift. I get to have you latched onto me." He kissed my cheek then and I let the void take us back to Forks.

…

As my senses came back to reality, I discovered we were just outside the Cullen's mansion. I aimed for my bedroom, but the nature of my gift was not given to precision all the time. Plus, I had Seth distracting me the whole way.

"Welcome back," he said, opening his arm towards the mansion like a bellhop.

I was about to snicker when I was thrown into a mass of steel and plastic. The vehicle caved in behind me and I was momentarily dazed. What did Seth do?

My senses returned to me in a fury when I saw two colossal paws hard pressed against my chest. The smell and the russet fur told me who it was that had pinned me. It was not Seth.

"Jake!" Seth roared. "What the hell are you doing!?" He ran over to the heaping mass of arcing wires, broken glass, and torn metal and grabbed at Jake's paw. Jake flicked him away as if he were an annoying fly.

Seth landed on the pavement with an unnerving crack, his head bouncing on the pavement. He did not speak. He did not breath. He did nothing… except smell of blood.

Jacob knew what he had done and hesitated. He did not know whether he should see to his friend or deal with me.

I did not have that internal quarrel however and my eyelids dilated into pure, thick rage. While Jake was distracted I reared up my legs and kicked into his gut as hard as my rage would allow. He howled as I sent him flying into the trees. One came crashing down, unable to bear the weight of Jacob's burgeoning frame.

I raced to Seth and took his hand, kissing it softly.

"What happened!?" Edward yelled as he and Jasper raced to my side.

I fought the urge to defend Seth _from these people_. "He is not breathing."


	5. Ch 5: Threat

A/N: Comments, as always, are encouraged and appreciated.

…

_I fought the urge to defend Seth from these people. "He is not breathing."_

Seth POV

…

…

…

Life was nothing. No sound. No taste. No sight. No touch. No smell. It was like existing in a complete void. I was still and quiet, nothing to do, but wait. So I waited for something to happen, or someone.

Someone.

Adrastrus's name blew across of my mind with the intensity and heat of a nuclear bomb and I gladly let the heat fill me up. It brought me back to real life and my eyes popped wide open.

Cold, hard hands caressed my forehead and I instantly recognized to _whom_ those hands belonged. "Are you alright?" I croaked wincing a bit. I had a splitting headache.

Addi regarded me thoughtfully. He caressed my cheek and grabbed my hands into his free one. "I am unhurt. As for you, I feared the Apportioners decided against you. I thought you were unbreakable. Clearly not so much." He managed a smile.

I tried to be brave, but as soon as I sat up, the world spun and I felt myself falling. Addi caught me, of course, and lowered me back to the pavement. He rested my head on his thigh and brushed the hair from my face.

"You need a haircut," Addi said. "If you would like…"

A man's deep voice rattled across the driveway. He was saying my name. He said it again. And again. I knew that voice. Addi gritted his teeth and cautiously, intently, lowered my head onto the pavement. There was little difference between his rock exterior and the ground, but at least his skin was cool and soothing. Where did Addi go?

I rose up again under my own power and was pleased that I didn't succumb to vertigo again. I watched as Addi approached the deep-voiced man and stop him dead in his tracks with a push against the man's shoulder.

"Watch it, man!" the deep-voiced man growled hoarsely.

Addi didn't remove his hand. "No. You watch it. I should say 'man,' but only a man fights his battles from the front, not the back. An attack from behind is the way of lesser men."

"Whatever, dude. Let me by. I have to see if my beta is okay, alright?"

Beta?

Beta.

Alpha.

Jake.

Like Adrastus's name only moments before, Jacob's name triggered a second nuclear explosion within me. Only this one wasn't a loving and comforting heat. No. This heat was pure rage. It sliced across my being and my wolf sprang forward. I was on Jake before he could mumble another word.

"_NO!_" Jake eventually commanded with the full force of his heritage. He dropped into his wolf form too. His commands would be more powerful then. It was probably good too or I would've quite literally ripped his throat out.

_Fuck you, Jake Black!_ I screamed inside our shared consciousness. _You stay the fuck away from him!_

_Where the hell were you?_ Jake's tone was as equally angered as my own. _I get a call in the middle of the night that you and that mother fuckin' bloodsucker disappeared._

Bloodsucker? That comment took me back, far back. I let Jake relive a time when he held such disdain for a vampire. When he didn't think for himself. When he didn't realize that it was our choices that defined us, _not_ our heritage. I also relived my night with Addi. I feared I was giving up a confidence Addi and I shared now, something special. But in reality, there wasn't a thing I could do from keeping it from Jake. When we were both phased, this was normal, and had been for a century.

I felt Addi approach from behind. He was trying to find me inside my wolf. _I'm here_, I thought wistfully.

"Why don't you both phase and make up?" I heard Emmett yammer from the garage. "I'm not going to be the one who tells Rose you fucked her car up." Jake, Addi, and I glanced in the direction of the destroyed vehicle. Rose put a lot of pride in her brand new BMW X2-3000. It levitated for Christ's sake!

Edward came to my side with a pair of slacks and a brown hoodie in hand. Addi grabbed the clothes and I followed him into the woods.

"You are quite endearing when stress falls upon you," Addi commented with a grin.

Sliding the oversized hoodie over my face, I was happy when Addi came back into view. I held out my hand for him and he eagerly took it. "Come on." I nodded in the direction of the house. "Let's go see what kind of trouble we're in."

I had to empathize with my family after they explained their ordeal. I showed up at the house to see Addi. I disappeared. Addi disappeared. After Addi repeatedly stated he had held no ill will towards the family or me, Edward vouched for him. Edward could read his mind after all.

"That doesn't change the fact that you're Volturi, and that's a problem!" Jake yelled from an armchair. I feared he would phase right there and destroy Esme's impeccable refurbishing job on the collectible. Maybe that's why she seated him there in the first place. Motherly guilt had a way of mitigating anger.

"I go where I am ordered and for as long as I ordered to be there. If you wish me to leave, I will go. Until then, Aro's orders were quite clear."

Esme walked back into the living room. "I called Carlisle and let him know you both had returned."

"Where was he?" I asked. "The hospital?"

"No," Jake sneered. "He was looking for you. He was at your Aunt's."

"You have an Aunt?" Addi asked, surprise coloring his voice.

I stuck my hands into my hoodie pocket. "Long story."

"Not one we're talking about now. We're talking about you!" Jake pointed his finger in between Addi's eyes. I became defensive. "Don't tell me you don't have an smidgen of an idea of what your Masters' have intended for us."

Addi opened his mouth as if to speak, but held tightlipped when Carlisle and the rest of his entourage came through the front door. Carlisle appeared at my side and embraced me. "I am happy to see you are okay, son."

"Thanks, Carlisle. Nothing happened. We're all good. Right?" I grimaced at Jake. He didn't say a word, but instead stalked out of the room. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

Carlisle chewed his lower lip for a hot second and braced himself on the back of the couch. Turning to Adrastus, he said, "Look, Adrastus. I appreciate the fact that you and Seth are together now, I really do. But the fact remains that you are a member of the Guard and undoubtedly Aro has told you his side of the story of what happened."

"The incident with the alleged immortal child," Addi cut in.

"Ness." Jake had reentered the room and there was some semblance of calm in his demeanor. Jasper was on his coattails and I wondered if Jake had asked Jasper for a cold shower of sorts.

Returning to Addi, he seemed shocked by this revelation. "You didn't know?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I was informed of what I had missed, but not that it involved Ness."

Jake approached Addi and gritted his teeth. He was struggling with something.

Edward, who was sitting silently at his piano, piped up. "I think it is worth a try." Without another word Jake walked out the door and phased. I thought about following him, but thought better of it when Edward suggested that he and Carlisle take a look at my head. I felt around my scalp and found dried blood caked in my hair.

I followed the two medical doctors into Carlisle's study. Addi followed me in, but Edward advised that Addi stay out because Carlisle was going to take a blood sample. Medical technology had advanced by leaps and bounds and a scan or two can detect most maladies, but blood was still the ultimate source of information.

"No," I said. "He'll be fine." Edward cocked his head to the side questioning the basis for my conclusion.

"I will be fine, Edward." Addi clasped my hand. "If you do not trust me, then trust Seth."

"We already dealt with that hiccup," I informed. Minutes later, Edward finished all his diagnostics and announced that my wolf gene inhibited any brain swelling or adverse effects of my flight across the pavement. "When's Jake supposed to get back?" I asked. "I assume he's coming back."

"Any time," Carlisle answered. "But go clean up. We'll all reconvene later."

I walked to Addi's room without asking Addi if it would be okay. I didn't have to. His was mine and mine was his, and I sort of reveled in that sudden realization. I smiled.

"What?" Addi asked.

"I want to shower. I stink," I replied refusing to become an emotional teenaged girl.

I closed the door on the bathroom and noted that Addi had slipped around and was inside with me. Vampires were fucking fast. I peeled the hoodie from my body and found myself looking in the mirror for any cuts or bruises. There were none of course. Not even scars. There would never be actually. I was covered with dirt and dried blood though. I needed to shower. Would we be showering together? Suddenly, the coolness of Addi's body leapt onto my own and a chill ran up my spine and down to my gut. I became hyperaware that Addi was standing close behind me. He rested his chin on my shoulder, his dark eyes scanning over my torso. I grinned. "Like what you see?"

Addi leaned into the crook of my neck and inhaled sharply. His lips were connected win my skin and the coolness trailed south quickly. It stoked a freezing fire down there and I moaned. It didn't help matters one bit when Addi whispered, "I do not think you stink _at all_. In fact," he drew his tongue up and behind my ear. I shivered. "You do not taste bad at all _either_."

I drew my hand behind me and found Addi's hip. I crushed him against me and his literally, rock hard erection slid up the small of my back. He tensed. "I do not think I can bear to be away from you for even a second," he whispered, drawing heavy breaths. He drew his hand up and caressed my cheek and then my lips. His scent, like his coolness, leapt onto me and I wished to swim in it. I inhaled sharply so that I could commit his masculinity to my brain. It wasn't hard. I mean, it was hard. I grunted when Addi slid his other hand across the stomach, scratching lightly across my abdominals with his nails. He knew he could still be rough with me. After what happened in the driveway today, I sure as hell did not want Addi to treat me like a china doll. He ground his hard cock into my back again and slid a hand over my aching member. With a gentle squeeze of his hand, I could take no more. I spun around and took Addi right there and then. His mewls of satisfaction told me two things: that he didn't mind one bit and I couldn't bear to be away from him for one second _ever_. Such complicated matters because like Carlisle pointed out, Addi was Volturi in the end.

About an hour later there was a slamming at the bathroom door followed by Emmett's obnoxious voice. "Seriously, I've heard dudes do it. I have. But you too are annoying as fuck! Get out here. Ness is here!" Addi merely raised an eyebrow, a common reaction that I was happy to say I noticed now when he gets caught doing something that could tarnish his ancient Greek pride.

He refused to cave though. "I was not aware we were that loud." He was indignant and it made me snicker.

"Yeah, you were, Addi." Apparently, Emmett felt it was his place to comment. Addi was mortified; his pride had caved.

"I won't tell," I simply stated. "Beside, I like it when you're loud." Addi exhaled sharply and pounced on me causing us to roll across the bathroom floor and smack into the tiled wall on the far side. His kisses were welcome, but it wasn't the time so against my prurient interests I placed a finger on Addi's lips and pushed them away from my own. "We gotta go."

Addi rolled his eyes, but didn't disagree. After getting dressed, Alice apparently had left some fresh clothes on the bed, we waltzed down the stairs to greet my entire family. I tugged on the white, long sleeved v-neck Alice had given me. It had to be a size too small than usual. And for Alice to make that kind of fashion mistake, given her fashion sense and crystal clear memory, was surprising.

"Stop that," Addi said as he swatted my hand away from the cuff of my shirt. "You will stretch it out with all your fidgeting." He smoothed out the ruffles in the shirt giving particular attention to ensuring there were no creases near my biceps. His eyes bulged when I bulged my biceps. Did Addi have a thing for these? I laughed inwardly. I would've hoped he would have been more interested in my…

"Finally!" a voice shrieked. I looked up. Rose was in the room and while her ordinary scowl was legendary, the look she was giving Addi and I—well, if looks could kill, we would be incinerated alive and encased in concrete.

"Sorry, about your car," I apologized meekly. She said nothing so I sat on a love seat opposite Jake, Ness, and Rene. Addi sat next to me. "Hello, Rene. It's been a few days. Want to give your old uncle a hug?"

Jake raised his arm to block Rene from moving. "No." He didn't yell nor was there malice behind it. Something else. A calm sense of protection.

"_I_ would never let Rene get hurt," I said choosing my words carefully. I wanted to say that Addi would never let Rene get hurt either, but that nagging reminder of his Volturi background wouldn't seem to go away.

Jake gritted his teeth and spoke to Addi. "I will trust _you_ after Ness shows him our side of the story. My father always told me to trust a person easily and fully until that person gives you reason not to. While I have plenty of reasons not to trust you, the fact that Seth imprinted on you has to count for something.

"So I have to ask, are you willing to let Ness show you our side of the story? If your answer is yes, I will do my best to treat you with the respect an imprint deserves."

I cocked my head towards Addi. Jake's proposal seemed reasonable. After all that had happened in the last two days—a shit ton in my book—this seemed easy.

Addi nodded and glanced toward Ness who was nestled into Jake's side. "I am aware of your ability, Renesmee Black. I consent."

It's one thing to know of Ness's ability, another to experience it. Ness's forehead creased and she leaned forward. "Call me Ness," she directed with a cautious smirk. Visions flew into my mind as if I were seeing them through my own eyes. Smells flushed through my nose too, and I swear I could touch the vision with my hands and toes. The sounds were crystal clear. Addi squeezed my hand with a jolt. He was experiencing the projection too. Did I mention Ness could project thoughts into multiple people without physical contact? Ness was just amazing like that.

_Just so we are all on the same page…_ Ness thought with an official tone. It was clear she had prepared for hours in order to pass along all this information. It was almost like she knew Jake would ask her to do this, or perhaps she thought it of herself. She gave a chronological playback of the events leading up to and including that fateful day in the meadow. She added conversations she had had with our family over the years afterwards about that day too, as if she were providing commentary about the Super Bowl.

I would've laughed if the circumstances were different.

Comparing Ness's interpretation of the events to my own, I remembered things slightly different. That was to be expected I suppose, she was looking at the whole event from the eyes of a child after all—advanced as she was.

There was Irina's fatal mistake—that Ness was an immortal child, a crime that if true would have meant the end of all us, and rightfully so, I agreed with that law as much. I shuddered inwardly.

There was Aro's almost insatiable interest in the talent of others. Was it stronger than his thirst for blood? More worrisome was his willingness to destroy anyone or anything that got in his way on his quest for talent and power. His willingness to find excuses to separate covens or destroy a vampire's mate was most disturbing. I never pretended to understand the binding force that vampires call mating, but having recently imprinted, I had to believe that it is some similar force in degree, dimension, and depth.

There was Caius's obvious search around the law he and his brothers alleged to enforce. The existence of my kind was utterly intolerable in Caius's eyes. Edward had informed me later that Caius was almost destroyed by a Child of the Moon, a true werewolf. I knew why Ness added this—me. When… or if… Caius found out that one of his guardsmen had mated with or been imprinted by, whatever one chose to call it, a shape shifting wolf, what would he do? And more importantly, what would Addi do?

There was Marcus whose complete indifference to the whole matter was disturbing in and of itself. Immortality could be a curse. He had lost his love, his eternal mate, and there were whispers in the supernatural world about who had killed Didyme. Some say it was the Children of the Moon, others the Romanian Coven—a few say Aro. Regardless, Ness's gambit included Marcus to impinge upon Addi what was at stake. Me. If I was lost to Addi, would he not long for death too? The thought of Addi not in this world was a nightmarish avenue I chose to detour around for now.

There was the family—my family—from Ness's perspective of course. Jake, her father, mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles—me included—and friends. She gave brief tidbits of their powers and their importance to her without explanation. In such an absence, I wondered if she meant to say that, "Yes, they are powerful, but they are important to me for not because of those powers, but because of who they are." Yeah, Ness was telling Addi that a person's worth wasn't defined by one's power.

And then there was Rene, a relatively recent addition to our family. Ness pushed more feeling than thought into her projection. She would give up anything including this family _or Jake_ to secure Rene's wellbeing. The reason was simple enough. Rene was her daughter and it was Ness's responsibility to ensure that Rene would be safe.

Ness spoke aloud, her voice colored with an equal amount of emotion and force as to her projection. "I can't say that Aro doesn't understand the power of family, Addi. And I wouldn't because that would assume he was incapable of that revelation. But I do know in the least, that if he does know the power of family, then he chooses to ignore it. But know this, Addi. You can be a part of this family too, if you would like, but there will come a time sooner or later when Aro will force you to choose and given that you know our side and his, I hope you choose the right side."

Ness rose to her feet. "And if you choose wrong or threaten my family and especially my daughter, I will personally ensure that you and the Volturi face a war that will rival the bloodiest battle you have ever witnessed in your long history. And that… is a threat."

Ness's face was grim and serious. She blinked once, then twice, and then smiled. She sighed. "I can't be an angry person. It's just not me. The threat stands, but so does our story. You choose, Addi." Ness turned to Rene. "Go give your Uncle a hug, bug."

Rene's bright smile rivaled the sun. She leapt into my arms. "How are you, Sethy?!" she asked giggling.

My eyes met Addi's, but I hugged Rene tightly. "I'm good, Rene. I'm good."

…

Addi thanked Ness for her candor. His honor valued a frontal assault on all battlefields, even a mental one. He and I stayed at the house for a couple more hours. I played with Rene, tossing her thirty feet in the air and catching her when she came down while Addi and Esme were engrossed in a lame conversation about how the ancient Athenians managed to supply all the marble for the Parthenon. I couldn't tell if Addi was annoyed that the Athenians built the colossal structure and not his Spartans or saddened by the structure's demise. An earthquake had hit Europe twenty years ago that stretched to the Middle East. Millions died.

I yawned.

"Are you ready to go?" Addi asked from across the room. When Addi said "you" that way, I knew unequivocally that it was directed at me. "You need rest." He was at my side, a tincture of concern in his eyes. He caught Rene as she landed and tickled her stomach. She giggled like only a happy toddler could giggle.

"I'll take her." Jake appeared from the kitchen having snarfed down an entire lasagna only moments before. Jake visible tensed when he noticed Addi's proximity to Rene, but he did an admirable job at not reacting to it even if Addi did notice Jake's discomfort. Jake had promised to trust Addi, but that didn't mean it was going to be absolute on the first day. I couldn't blame him. Not rationally at least. Handing Rene off to her dad, they headed for the kitchen.

Rene stretched her head over her dad's shoulder and yelled, "Bye, Addi!"

She didn't say bye to me and I wanted to be annoyed at that, but on second thought, that was childish. She was probably still mad at me for stealing her doll. Children could hold a grudge for a long time, and she was quarter vampire so who knew how long her grudge would last! I was appreciative of the fact Rene didn't shy away from Addi. It wasn't like the rest of the family welcomed him with open arms. I tried to hide my bitterness when Addi asked what was bothering me.

"Am I that obvious?"

He smirked. "A particular crease forms in your forehead when stress eats at you." After I rubbed my forehead for this alleged crease, he added, "Do not worry, Rakastettu. It is endearing."

"Uh, wha?" I asked.

"Term of endearment, Love," he replied with a kiss to my forehead. "It is Finnish. I spent some time there recently."


End file.
